Ernest Wade (Ernie) Lester, 65, died at the Atlanta VA Medical Center on June 21, 2013, following a 7-month battle with lung cancer.
Born July 25, 1947 in Atlanta, to William Larry Lester and Julia Mildred Hollis Lester, he attended Mt. Berry School for Boys and Headland High School, and graduated with a B.B.A. from Georgia State University in 1974. Ernie proudly served aboard the USS Lafayette in the US Navy from July 1965 to July 1969, during the Vietnam era.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Ernie lived in East Point where he became the youngest City Councilman in the city’s history at age 25 and was sworn into office by Governor Jimmy Carter. The majority of his career was spent in the mortgage business, where he continued as an entrepreneur developing a technology startup for the real estate and mortgage industries.
Ernie was a member of and raised his family at Fayetteville Christian Church in Fayetteville, Ga., where he sang in the choir and served as a Deacon.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his grandson Michael Hunter Griffin.
He is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Wade and Anastasia Lester of Fayetteville; daughter Katie Lester Griffin of Newnan; daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Branston Williams of Atlanta; son J.D. Lester of Fayetteville; grandchildren Quinton Newman; JoAnna, Rachel and Grace Griffin; Carson Lester; brother and sister-in-law, David and Sandra Cook of Fairburn; niece Julia Cook Wellborn of Dallas, Texas; nephew Bradley Cook of Marietta; nephew Brian Cook of Woodstock. He especially loved his grand-dog Winston, who comforted him during his cancer treatments.
Memorial Services were held Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of Mowell Funeral Home (180 N. Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Ga. 30214). The family will received friends prior to the service from 3-4 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society.
Thanks to the MICU team and the Palliative Care Team at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, specifically Margaret (Maggie) Riley, Stella Nelms, Lindsay Gentry, and Chaplain Katelyn O’Dunne for their help and support.
Carl J. Mowell & Son Funeral Home, Fayetteville –www.mowellfuneralhome.com
